Luggage lock



M. M. CHECK LUGGAGE LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1955 INVENTOR. mm M, c/m e WMM ATTORNEY y 1, 1960 M. M. cHEck 2,938,371

LUGGAGE LOCK ;wfw M. cleue A TOR/Vf) United States Patent LUGGAGE LOCK Filed Dec. 2, 1955, Ser. No. 550,605 4 Claims. (Cl. 70-75) This invention relates to a lock of that type adapted to be applied to luggage, and more particularly to luggage known as hard side luggage.

As a feature of the invention, all of the locking mechanism is mounted within a casing mounted for pivotal movement relatively to a part of the luggage. Thus, it will be understood that the casing may be applied to the cover of the luggage or to the main body of the luggage, as may be desired. In either case, it is a feature of the invention that the entire casing pivots relatively to a securing member, and is adapted to move on its pivot into and out of locking position relatively to a simple strike that is adapted to underlie the casing and to enter an opening in the casing for coaction with a pair of locking thumb pieces carried by the casing.

As a particular feature of the invention, the casing comprises a base and a cover, the cover being equipped with a pair of side slots through which the thumb pieces extend, the thumb pieces being mounted for pivotal movement on the base of the casing while moving in the slots in the cover.

A single spring coacts with the two thumb pieces and urges them into locking position, both thumb pieces being controlled by a single bolt that is in turn controlled by one or more tumblers actuated through a keyway forming member that is held in place by the cover of the casing. Thus, the casing, comprising a cover and base, carries therewithin the two thumb pieces and the spring urging them to locking position, together with a bolt and tumblers, and a keyway member extending outwardly through an opening in the casing cover to provide for the operation of the tumblers. This entire combination coacts with a single strike making possible the dual locking of the luggage by the two thumb pieces while control is exercised through a single bolt. Further, while the thumb pieces, bolt, tumblers, and keyway member are all mounted on the base, it is the cover that through simple assembly to the base holds the several parts in operating relation.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be bet ter appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing my novel luggage lock.

"ice

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing parts of the lock.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig.5 is similar to Fig. 3 but shows the release position'of the thumb pieces.

' The construction of my novel luggage lock will probably be best understood if we refer first to Fig. 2 of the drawings. As shown in Fig. 2, I utilize for the casing of my lock a cast base member 10, and a box-like cover 11 that is adapted to fit over the front of the base member 10. For purposes of assembly, the cover 11 is formed with ears 12 that are adapted to be bent over the rear surface of the base 10. Also, the cover 11 has at its upper end a pair of flanges 13 that will be bent around the corresponding end of the base 10.

I form on the upper end of the base member 10 a pair of opposed hinge parts 14 through which I pivot the lock casing to a piece of luggage. Between these hinge parts 14 I assemble a hinge member 15, well shown in Fig. 2, with a pivot pin '16 inserted longitudinally in openings through the portions 14 and member 15. The hinge member 15 has a mounting portion 17 that will be attached to a part of the luggage, as shown in Fig. 4, with an arm portion 18 that will move between the flanges 13 on the cover as the casing rotates on pin 16. It may be observed here that the arm portion 18 has an olfset shape whereby to have clearance relatively to the edge 19 of cover 11, thus enabling the lock casing to rotate through relatively to the luggage. I prefer to form the rear surface of base member 10 with a recess 20 for the mounting portion of the hinge member, so that the hinge member will be completely enclosed when the lock casing is in locking position.

I further assemble on the pivot pin '16 a coil spring 21, Figs. 3 and 4, having portions that encircle the pin at opposed sides of the hinge member 15. A medial portion 22 of spring 21 presses against the arm 18 'on hinge member 15, while the opposed ends 23 of the spring act in openings 24 that I form in basemember 10, 'the arrangement being such as to rotate the lock away from the luggage.

Referring again to Fig. 2, I form the base member 10 near its lower end with an opening-25 for a strike 26. The strike 26 has a mounting portion 27 through which it will be secured to the luggage in position to enter the lock casing through opening 25. Preferably, the base member 10 is formed with a recess 28, Fig. 4, for the mounting portion of the strike.

For coacting with strike 26, I utilize a pair of thumb pieces 29, 30, well shown in Fig. 2. I form the base member 10 with a pair of pivots 31, 32 on which thumb pieces 29, 30 are mounted to rotate, with the thumb pieces extending outwardly from the casing through slots 33 that I form in the sides of cover 11. Each thumb piece 29, 30 has a catch portion 34 that is normally in position for locking the strike 26, as in Figs. 3 and 4, but

that will release the strike when the thumb piece is de-' pressed, as in Fig. 5. I do, incidentally, arrange the catch portions 34 to lie against the surface of base mem ber 10, as will be seen in Fig. 4, 'thus enabling them to hold the strike rather securely.

For holding the thumb pieces 29, 30 normally in locking position, I utilize a coil spring 35, Figs. 3 and 4, that is engaged between the thumb pieces whereby to press them outwardly of the casing. I form the base member 10 with a guide 36 for the medial part of the spring 35. From my description, it will be understood that I lock the strike 26 through the action of both thumb pieces-29, 30. Nevertheless, the strike will not be released should pressure he accidentally applied to one thumb piece, since the other thumb piece will continue to hold the strike.

I further equip my novel lock with a single bolt 37,

best seen in Fig. 2, that is adapted to lockboth thumb pieces 29, 30 against release movement. This bolt 37 slides vertically on base member 10, with the lower end of the bolt moving into and out of blocking relation to the thumb piece catch portions 34, as may be seen in Figs. 3 and 5. For guiding bolt 37 on base member 10, I form the upper end of the bolt with a slot 38, Fig. 2, that is in guide relation to a projection 39 that I form on the base. Also, the base is formed with guidesurfaces 40, 41 that will guide the lower end of bolt 37. I guide a key K- relatively to the bolt 37 through a rotating keyway member 42, Fig. 4, that is mounted at its inner end in an opening 43 in the base 10 and at its outer end in an opening 44 in the cover 11. The key when rotat: ing in the, keyway member 42 willcoact with a slot- 45 in the bolt 37 for moving the bolt. To effect, further control over the boltmovements, I utilize one or more key actuated tumblers 46 that overlie the bolt 37. and that are mounted, on base member 10 through a pivot 47. A spring 48', Fig. 3, is held between a lug 49 and surfaces 50, 51 on the base 10 in position to press the tumblers 46 into coacting relation to a part 52 on the bolt. The particular action of the tumblers 46 is rather conventional, and I believe it will be unnecessary to describe the tumblers in further detail. It is important to realize, however, that my construction utilizes two thumb pieces to eifect the dual locking of a piece of luggage, while control of those thumb pieces is exercised through a single bolt.

It should be realized also that my novel construction makes possible an extremely efiective and simple assembly of the lock. ,Thus, it will be appreciated that the several lock parts are mounted actually on the base member 10 of the lock casing, but are held in assembled posi-' tion merely through the cover 11. The thumb pieces 29, 30 and the tumblers 46 are held on their corresponding pivot pins by the cover 11, and the bolt 37 is naturally .held assembled since it underlies the tumblers 46. Further, the keyway member 42, tumbler spring 48 and thumb piece spring 35 will be held in position through the assembly of the cover 11 to base 10. In addition, the sides of cover 11 will hold the hinge pin 16 in assembled position. I thereby contribute a novel luggage lock that not only is extremely effective, but that is assembled through very simple means. I believe, therefore, that those skilled in the art will fully appreciate the very considerable value of my invention. I

I now claim:

1. In a lock of the class described, a hinge member adapted to be mounted on a piece of luggage, a lock casing comprising a base and a cover secured to said base, means mounting the base on said hinge member for swinging movement into juxtaposed relation to a side of the luggage, said base having an opening through which a strike on thelugg'age extends into said casing with the casing covering said strike, a pair of opposed thumb pieces pivoted on said base and having catch parts extending at one side of said base opening for coaction with the corresponding side of the strike, said thumb pieces having portions extending through openings in said cover for manual manipulation whereby to rotate said thumb pieces relatively to said lock casing and said strike, a bolt slidable on said base into and out of a position juxtaposed to said catch parts of the thumb pieces at said side of the base opening to block movement of both said thumb pieces, a tumbler overlying said bolt and mounted for movement relatively to said base and bolt for controlling the sliding movement of said bolt, a keyway guide member rotatable on said base relatively to the bolt and tumbler, and said cover holding said thumb pieces, tumbler, keyway guide and bolt in assembled relation to said base, the construction and arrangement being such that it is necessary to manipulate both of the thumb pieces'to move; the catch parts thereof away fro'm the strike to release theiat'ter and to permit" the' lock' to open;

2. In a lock of the class described, a hinge member adapted to be mounted on a piece of luggage, a lock casing comprising a base and a cover secured to said base, a hinge pivot on the base mounting the casing at one end on said hinge member for swinging movement into a position juxtaposed to a side of the luggage with the casing covering said hinge member, said base having an opening through which a strike on the luggage extends into the opposed outer end portion of said casing with the casing covering said strike, a pair of opposed thumb pieces pivoted on said base and having parts extending through openings in said cover for manual manipulation whereby to rotate said thumb pieces relatively to said lock casing and strike, a catch portion on each thumb piece, said catch portions extending at one side of the base opening to coact with the corresponding side of the strike when the strike is in the base opening, a bolt slidable on said base into and out of a position juxtaposed to the catch portions of both thumb pieces at said side of the base opening to block movement of both said thumb pieces, a tumbler overlying said bolt and mounted for movement relatively to said base and bolt whereby to control said bolt, a keyway guide member rotatable on said base for guiding a key relatively to the bolt and tumbler, and said cover enclosing the end of the hinge pivot to bar longitudinal movement thereof and holding said thumb pieces, tumbler, keyway guide and bolt in assembled relation to the base, the construction and arrangement being such that it is necessary to manipulate both of the thumb pieces to move the catch portions thereof away from the strike to release the latter and to permit the lock to open.

3. In a lock of the class described, a hinge member, a casing comprising a base and a cover, said base pivoted to said hinge member by a hinge pin, an opening in said base through which a strike extends into said casing, a. pair of opposed thumb pieces, pivot pins mounting said thumb pieces on said base, said thumb pieces having parts extending at one side of said base opening for efiecting latching engagement with the corresponding side of said strike, portions on said thumb pieces extending laterally outwardly of said base for manual engagement to rock said thumb pieces about said pins to disengage said latch} ing parts from said strike, a bolt slidable bodily on said base into and out of position juxtaposed to the latching parts of both thumb pieces at said side of the base opening to block movement of said thumb pieces, means on said base for guiding the bodily movement of said bolt,- a keyway guide member rotatable on said base relatively to said bolt, a tumbler overlying said bolt and rotatably mounted by apivot pin on said base for controlling the thrust of said bolt, and said cover secured to saidbase and enclosing said strike, said cover having its inside surface adjacent an end of said pivot pins and hinge pin and. formed with openings permitting access of a key to said keyway guide member and for extension therethroughof said manually engageable portions of said thumb pieces whereby said cover holds said thumb pieces, hinge pin,

bolt and tumbler in operative assembled relation, the com struction and arrangement being such that it is necessary to manipulate both of the thumb pieces to move the latching parts thereof away from the strike to release the latter and to permit the lock to open.

4. In a lock of the class described, a lock casing comprising a base and a cover secured to said base, a hinge member, means pivoting one end of the base to the hinge member whereby the opposed outer end portion of the casing swings about said hinge member, said base having in its bottom surface an opening through which a strike extends into said outer end portion of said casing that swings about the hinge member, a pair of thumb pieces pivoted on said base and having catch parts for coaction with one side of said strike when said strike entersthe casing through the base opening, said catch parts when in coaeting relation to the strike extendingin substantially aligned relation to one another at said side of the strike, portions on said thumb pieces extending through openings in said cover at opposed sides of said base opening so as to be exposed for manual manipulation on said outer end portion of the lock casing, a key actuated bolt slidable on said base into and out of a position juxtaposed to the catch parts of both thumb pieces to lock said thumb pieces, a key actuated member for controlling the thrust of said bolt, and said cover holding said thumb pieces, key actuated member, and bolt in assembled position relatively to said base while acting with said base to permit eifective operation thereof, the construction and arrangement being such that it is necessary to manipulate both of the thumb pieces to move the catch parts thereof away from the strike to release the latter and to permit the lock to open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,333 Aliano Apr. 16, 1907 1,083,522 Cowell Jan. 6, 1914 1,654,079 Hiering Dec. 27, 1927 1,883,072 Stone Oct. 18, 1932 2,495,287 Cooper Jan. 24, 1950 c FOREIGN PATENTS 159,968 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1921 176,669 Great Britain Mar. 16, 1922 

